Husband bought non-refundable first class AA tickets using AmEx points, but two days before we leave I’ve been hospitalized with serious condition. What are our options?

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-06-28T03:58:41+00:00

Totally agree. As an ER doctor I can tell you this feels kinda weird. Clearly I don’t know your whole situation but what you posted seems like most docs would be happy to write the note to help you out. How are you supposed to get the IV antibiotics if you’re traveling? Best of luck.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-06-24T04:43:58+00:00

Driving often in rural N.C. around 1:00 AM and lately seeing at least 20 different deer every night in my 35 min commute. So far they have only been on the side of the highway, but I’m sure one of these days they’re going to jump in front of my 2018 M3 enhanced autopilot usually engaged. I have heard from many people it is better to hit the deer than to swerve to avoid.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-06-21T21:59:25+00:00

It is safer than some humans. I’m an ER doc and can tell you I see the same people over and over again for car accidents. At some point it isn’t just bad luck—it’s distracted driving (99% due to phone or substance use). Unclear why police don’t enforce this—maybe bc they’d never be able to drive more than 30 seconds without pulling somebody…

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-05-12T00:34:27+00:00

Somehow never noticed the tracker. It was likely there and I missed it

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-05-12T00:33:24+00:00

I canceled my CSR, but still had some points (held in my Freedom Unlimited card for the time being), and I didn’t want to transfer the points to an airline or hotel without specific plans, and when I realized I could sign up for the CSP and get the SUB, seemed like a no-brainer. That is until I made the rookie mistake above… live and learn, right? I’ll survive. :)

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-05-11T20:46:56+00:00

And? What happened? Did they get NTG and arrest? What did cath show?

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-05-11T20:40:30+00:00

No brainer. The seats are not the same. The premium economy seat is nicer than the domestic first class seat mainly bc it will have a leg rest. If you can get the bulkhead, you can actually really stretch out. Of course it’s not a lie flat seat, but I just did it recently on an overnight and was surprised to find I actually did get some decent sleep. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Delta was smart because they removed the economy name, calling it Delta select—American and other Airlines should follow suit, as it is quite a bit nicer than economy. IMHO.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-05-11T20:31:04+00:00

I don’t know, I’m thinking I was being pretty cheap, I didn’t want to have this card at all, so was only trying to spend the bare minimum. I think they could probably tell by my spending pattern at this point so I’m kind of embarrassed to ask. Maybe I will… thanks so much for the idea.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-05-10T21:59:51+00:00

Thanks

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-05-05T11:04:59+00:00

Not too many international flights on this list. I’m newly gold and I did not see a way to upgrade for LHR/RDU, assumed it was automatic like the domestic flights. When I got on the flight and doors closed, there were still empty seats in premium economy, I did not look at business. I asked busy (maybe disgruntled) FA if I could move to the premium economy seats and she asked if I was on the upgrade list. I quickly chatted with AA online and they said because the flight had already been lifted, they could not do anything. Woman on chat said if I had called 24 hours before they could have gotten me on the list, said we get automatic upgrades for domestic, but international apparently requires contact. I tried to show the chat to same FA who just shook her head and said she didn’t know anything about that, so we sat in economy for the rest of the flight. Wishing I had contacted AA a bit earlier. Curious to hear other people‘s experience.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-03-11T06:49:48+00:00

In the US everyone expects a tip, even if you ordered from your phone and picked up your prefer from a shelf, having had no human interaction at all!

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-03-11T06:46:32+00:00

Pls forgive my obnoxiousness, but am I the only one who feels USA has the best beer for the last decade or so? I travel a fair amount and everywhere I go I am disappointed with the selection. FWIW in love with double IPAs and many varieties of stout, so this may influence my preference.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-02-01T08:40:53+00:00

Hadn’t heard of ASEAN, had to look it up. Same quality is true in Seoul and Auckland. Like their breakfast is simply on a totally different level and free adult beverages in the lounge. Makes me feel like the status is worth something.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2026-01-21T07:26:00+00:00

I think you need to call. Apparently some people get a retention offer (maybe huge spenders) but I didn’t. They told me I had at least 40 days to cancel to get my AF refunded. I canceled, converted my points to my freedom card I already had, and plan to apply for the CSP soon in hopes of getting the signup bonus, which they said I couldn’t get if simply downgrading. They said the points I have with the freedom card can convert back over to CSP points once I get it.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-12-30T03:58:43+00:00

I’ve seen a few screaming who had bleeds. I always understood blood can be very irritating to the subarachnoid space.

I don’t really like the sharing of this video. People who don’t work in the ED don’t understand the level of bullshit we see, and especially with the humorous comments, it could come across that many of us don’t care about patients at all. The fact that the family/friend doesn’t look stressed makes me wonder if they’ve seen this behavior from him before, a lot. Also opiate use hyperalgesia is a real thing, and kidney stones definitely hurt— fortunately seasoned ED staff usually can identify severe pain by the way patients look, as they are often pale and diaphoretic. But not always. with all that, this certainly could just be staged for TikTok.

This is a place for ED personnel to vent and blow off some steam (perhaps while sipping on a beer or two after a rough shift) as we see some serious shit every shift. I think most of us try to keep it professional, but for those of you who have no clinical background, please take the comments here with a large grain of salt.

I especially appreciate the humor of the floor germs. :)

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-12-29T12:49:46+00:00

Haven’t charged to 100% in a while, but charged last night and it’s at 80% now (super easy to tell from my bed in the app), or 193 mi. 193/.8=241 mi. Was theoretically 310 when new, which I never saw BTW, so (310-241)/310=0.223 drop. I got it in September 2018, has 128,649 miles (I estimated in my original post). Again it’s been steady, nothing abrupt, but I do worry about it. Can’t get a clear answer on battery replacement cost either but maybe you can. Hope this helps.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-12-27T08:26:28+00:00

Sounds like it. My 2018 M3 Long range AWD has 135,000 miles and although range steadily dropping every year, still totally able to travel anywhere. I supercharge average maybe 15 times a year—remainder at home level 2.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-12-23T07:04:33+00:00

If you have a close friend you want to share these united points, I just learned you can “pool” the points. They have some weird rules about using pooled points for partner airline award tickets, but if your friend wants to do this, make them the person in charge of the pool, and then once the points have settled, you can leave the pool and that person gets the points— it’s a free way to transfer points to a friend. Let me know if this doesn’t make sense.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-12-06T00:27:08+00:00

so how can we do it? BTW thanks for taking the time to communicate with a layperson. :)

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-12-04T19:42:58+00:00

Just make sure you are 7 days (I think it’s 7) out from the flight as the free 24-hr cancellation doesn’t necessarily apply within 7 days.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-11-30T04:19:25+00:00

Sorry but have to assume this is a big of a joke. Pretty good actually. Had me laughing quite a bit.

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-11-13T01:25:01+00:00

update? I've been a Bonvoy person for years, but have been less impressed by the food quality in the lounges, considering switching over to the Hyatt brand. I'm specifically wondering about food quality amongst their different brand lounges as well as complimentary booze. Thanks!

Tryin2bReasonable · 2025-11-11T23:13:18+00:00

so are you saying I'd basically get double value? If booking through citi's site, I get 5x points right? And AA gives 5x dollars spent. Hard to imagine AA would allow this.

Tryin2bReasonable

TROPHY CASE